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Hundreds of Free Art E-Books

[*Note, May 1, 2010: Sorry, most of the items below dating from later than 1923 have recently been made unavailable for download. On the other hand there are very many older books that have been added since this post was made - just use the search function on the site]

Archive.org has been around for years, but there has been a HUGE influx of new art titles in the last few months. To search, make sure you select "texts" in the second box. To download, click "HTTP" and save to disc either the pdf or the (often smaller) DjVu file. Both consist of page images with linked text files, which means that the text is searchable.

Very hi-res scans can be obtained by downloading the zip archive of jp2 files present in the HTTP folders for many of the books. I use the freeware programme Irfanview to batch convert the jp2 files to jpgs.

Whistler, James McNeill, 1909. The gentle art of making enemies, as pleasingly exemplified in many instances, wherein the serious ones of this earth, carefully exasperated, have been prettily spurred on to unseemliness and indiscretion, while overcome by an undue sense of right.http://www.archive.org/details/gentl...akin00whisuoft

plus numerous volumes both on the history of architecture in general, and on specific styles including Egyptian, Greek, Byzantine, Norman, Gothic, Romanesque, Medieval, Muslim, Indian ... Just use the search button.

Books on the imagination (found by chronologic; reviewed by armando here)

Chapman, J.G. (John Gadsby), 1847. The American drawing-book: a manual for the amateur, and basis of study for the professional artist: especially adapted to the use of public and private schools, as well as home instruction.